GOP gubernatorial candidate Rob Astorino was in Syracuse on Thursday June 19, 2014 to attend the Onondaga County Republican annual clambake. Before attending the clambake, the Westchester County Executive stopped downtown to see the renovations at the Pike Block in Syracuse.
(By Stephen D. Cannerelli | scannerelli@syracuse.com)

"I think Mayor Miner had the guts to say it like it is at times in pointing out that Gov. Cuomo has not kept his promises on relieving the mandates that are crushing the city and our school districts and local communities," he said during a visit to a newly developed block on Salina Street in Syracuse.

Astorino said pension costs are out of control and the city's infrastructure is deteriorating.

Astorino toured the Pike Block, under construction at the corner of Salina and Fayette streets, before heading to the Onondaga County Republican Party's annual clambake.
He also stopped in Buffalo, Rochester and Ontario earlier in the day.

Here is what Astorino had to say:

On StartUp NY tax breaks:
"No matter how many phony StartUp NY ads the governor tries to put on to portray that we're doing well, people on Salina Street or any Main Street in America know that things are not improving," he said.

"Sometimes incentives are needed, there's no question," he said. "But the problem with StartUp NY is that it is specifically to a high tech industry and it has to be on SUNY property and if they meet all of those qualifications, then maybe they'll get a tax break."

Town officials increased the property taxes on the house after reading news accounts of the work Lee did to fix it up.

"We will let people know that their governor thinks he does not have to play by the rules. He did $300,000 in renovations on his home and didn't take out any building permits, covered it up, got caught, then lied and won't let the assessor come in and properly assess the property to pay their fair share of taxes," he said. "It says who he is."

Antonacci and public campaign money:
Onondaga County Comptroller Bob Antonacci, a Republican, is running for state comptroller and will be the first in the state to participate in a new program that allows him to spend public money on his campaign. Senate Republicans have been opposed to it, but approved a trial run in just one race.

"I don't agree with public financing. I do not want to see that expanded," Astorino said. "But since the legislature passed it, then it's up to him if he wants to use that."

Valesky power-sharing with Republicans:
As he courted progressive Democrats, Cuomo said he will work to bring Democrats back into the power in the Senate. That includes drawing back to the traditional Democratic conference Sen. David Valesky, D-Oneida, who broke away to run the Senate with Republicans.

Astorino said Cuomo's promise was a "slimy deal" with an "ultra radical" group.

"He said he's going to be at war with anyone who had the audacity to work in any bipartisan way," he said. "So he really went after his own bold Democrats, who wanted to do the right thing."

Raising the minimum wage:
"I think the minimum wage at some point can be gradually increased," he said. "I do not agree with what Cuomo signed on for, which was to let communities decide. You'll have economic chaos in this state."

Astorino said he dealt with the same issue in 2009, when he ran in a heavily Democratic county for county executive.

"The point is, it certainly can be done statewide. The timing is right. The political climate is right. Half the people in these surveys think the state's going in the wrong direction. Gov. Cuomo's job approval rating is in the low to mid-40s," he said.